Megaforce Records

PUTTING THE METAL IN YOUR FACE

Megaforce Records. The Zazulas. Anyone who knows their thrash knows who Megaforce Records and Jonny and Marsha Z are and how critically important they are to the birth of thrash metal.

JOIN US as we discuss the lore of Megaforce Records and some of the most important thrash bands and albums released on the Megaforce roster that makes it THE most important record label in all of thrash metal.

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Megaforce Records was originally founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to release Metallica’s first album Kill ‘Em All. At the time Jon owned the Rock’n Roll Heaven record store in New Jersey where he would play tapes by unsigned bands. In late 1982 he got a demo tape from the then unsigned Metallica.  This was the tape was what prompted him to form Megaforce Records, convinced that Metallica should be unleashed upon the unsuspecting masses. Since then Megaforce has brought much Metal goodness to the world including Anthrax, Overkill, Testament, Vio-lence and others. They’ve also released albums by many artists that you wouldn’t expect from a label that primarily focuses on Metal. These include Bjork, Cyndi Lauper, Hank Williams III, Warren Haynes and The Black Crowes. The label’s corporate office is in New York City and there is also an office in Philadelphia. The label has had many different distributors over the years. These include Independent (1982-1985), Atlantic Records (1985-1991), Island Records (1985-1991), Discos CBS (1991-1992), Epic Records (1992-1993), ARC (1993-2000), RED Distribution (since 2000), Sony Music (since 1993).


A couple of the labels earliest bands would go on to form The Big 4, Metallica and Anthrax. They released Metallica’s first two albums, Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning. They also released Anthrax’s first five albums and most recently the last two albums. They’ve also released albums from Thrash titans Overkill, Testament, and Vio-lence. Other releases include Mercyful Fate, Manowar, Raven, Venom, S.O.D., M.O.D., Ace Frehley, King’s X, Exciter, Lucy Brown, Mindfunk, Fozzy, Clutch, Ministry, Nile, Bad Brains, Prong, Danzig, Living Colour, Pearl (Scott Ian’s wife), Skid Row, and the Meat Puppets. Some interesting non metal acts that have released albums on the label include The Black Crowes, Cyndi Lauper, Bjork, Hank Williams III, They Might Be Giants, Warren Haynes, Revolting Cocks , Wyclef Jean, Fuel and Johnny Winter. 


SOME EARLY RELEASE EYE CANDY

Released 8-8-1983

Track Listing:

Jump in the Fire

Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)

Whiplash

Seek and Destroy

Phantom Lord


Raven.png

Released 8-1983

Track Listing:

Take Control  - Mind Over Metal

Sledgehammer Rock  - All for One

Run Silent, Run Deep  - Hung, Drawn and Quartered

Break the Chain  - Take it Away

Seek and Destroy  - Athletic Rock


Raven.png

Released 10-30-1983

Track Listing:

Evil  - Curse of the Pharaohs

Into the Coven  - At the Sound of the Demon Bell

Black Funeral  - Satan’s Fall

Melissa


manowar.png

Released 7-1-1983

LP Track Listing:

Warlord  - Secret of Steel

Gloves of Metal  - Gates of Valhalla

Hatred  - Revelation (Death’s Angel)

March for Revenge (By the Soldiers of Death)


Anthrax.png

Released 11-1983

Track Listing:

Soldiers of Metal  - Howling Furies


Blue Cheer.png

Released 6-12-1984

Track Listing:

Nightmares  - Summertime Blues

Ride with Me  - Girl Next Door

Babylon  - Heart of the City

Out of Focus  - Parchment Farm


Over Kill.png

Released 10-15-1985

Track Listing:

Raise the Dead  - Rotten to the Core

There’s No Tomorrow  - Second Son

Hammerhead  - Feel the Fire

Blood and Iron  - Kill at Command

Overkill  - Sonic Reducer


SOD.png

Released 8-30-1985

Track Listing:

March of the S.O.D.  - Sargent D and the S.O.D.  - Kill Yourself - Milano Mosh

Speak English or Die  - United Forces - Chromatic Death  - Pi Alpha Nu

Anti-Procrastination Song  - What’s That Noise - Freddy Krueger  - Milk

Pre-menstrual Princess Blues  - Pussy Whipped - Fist Banging Mania  - No Turning Back

Fuck the Middle East  - Douche Crew - Hey Gordy!

Ballad of Jimi Hendrix  - Diamonds and Rust (Extended Version)


Testament.png

Released 4-21-1987

Track Listing:

Over the Wall  - The Haunting

Burnt Offerings  - Raging Waters

C.O.T.L.O.D. (Curse of the Legions of Death)

First Strike is Deadly  - Do Or Die

Alone In The Dark  - Apocalyptic City


Ace Frehley.png

Released 4-27-1987

Track Listing:

Rock Soldiers  - Breakout

Into the Night  - Something Moved

We Got Your Rock  - Love Me Right

Calling to You  - Dolls

Stranger in a Strange Land  - Fractured Too


MOD.png

Released 1987

Track Listing:

Aren’t You Hungry  - Get a Real Job -  I Executioner - Don’t Feed the Bears

Ballad of Dio  - Thrash or be Thrashed  - Let Me Out - Bubble Butt  - You’re Beat

Bushwackateas  - Man of Your Dreams  - That Noise - Dead Men/Most/Captain Crunch

Jim Gordon  - Imported Society  - Spandex Enormity -  Short But Sweet

Parents  - Confusion/You’re X’ed  - A.I.D.S. - Ruptured Nuptuals

Ode to Harry  - Hate Tank


KingsX.png

Released 3-28-1988

Track Listing:

In the New Age  - Goldilox

Power of Love  - Wonder

Sometimes  - King

What is This?  - Far, Far Away

Shot of Love  - Visions


Voi-lence.png

Released 1990

Track Listing:

I Profit  - Officer Nice

Subterfuge  - Engulfed by Flames

Would in a World  - Mentally Afflicted

Liquid Courage  - Oppressing the Masses


Warren Haynes.png

Released 1993

Track Listing:

Fire in the Kitchen  - Kiss Tomorrow Good-Bye

Movers and Shakers  - I’ll Be the One -  Blue Radio

Invisible  - Sister Justice

Angel City  - Tattoos and Cigarettes

Power and the Glory  - Broken Promised Land


Fozzy.png

Released 10-24-2000

Track Listing:

Stand Up and Shout (Dio)  - Eat the Rich (Krokus

Stay Hungry (Twisted Sister)  - The Prisoner (Iron Maiden)

Live Wire (Motley Crue)  - End of Days

Over the Mountain (Ozzy)  - Blackout (Scorpions)

Feel the Burn  - Riding on the Wind (Judas Priest)


Clutch.png

Released 2002

Track Listing:

Who Wants to Rock?  - Pure Rock Fury -  Sea of Destruction

Immortal  - Careful with That Mic…  - Impetus

El Jefe  - Rock and Roll Outlaw  - 12oz. Epilogue

Big News I  - Big News II  - Brazenhead

The Soapmakers  - Escape from the Prison Planet  - Rats


Ministry.png

Released 5-2-2006

Track Listing:

Rio Grande Blood  - Senor Peligro

Gangreen  - Fear (Is Big Business)

LiesLiesLies  - The Great Satan

Yellow Cake  - Palestina

Ass Clown  - Khyber Pass

Sgt. Major Redux


Living Colour.png

Released 9-15-2009

Track Listing:

Burned Bridges  - The Chair - Decadance

Young Man  - Method -  Behind the Sun

Bless Those (Little Annie’s Prayer)  - Hard Times

That’s What You Taught Me  - Out of My Mind - Not Tomorrow

(4 minutes, 33 seconds of silence)  - Asshole


Ghost to a Ghost.png

Released 9-6-2011

Track Listing Disc 1:

Gutter Town  - Day By Day  - Riding the Wave  - Don’t Ya Wanna -  Ray Lawrence Jr.

The Devil’s Movin’ In  - Time to Die - Troppers Hollar  - Outlaw Convention

Cunt of a Bitch  - Ghost to a Ghost

Track Listing Disc 2:

Goin’ to Gutter Town  - Gutter Stomp - The Dirt Road  - Musha’s - The Dream of Before

Dyin’ Day  - I Promised  - Chord of the Organ  - Move Them Songs - The Low Line

I’ll Be Gone  - Troppers Chaos  - Chaos Queen - Thunderpain  - Fadin’ Mood

The Round  - I’ll Save My Tears  - It’s Goin’ Down - With the Ship


Johnny Winter.png

Released 9-27-2011

Track Listing:

T-Bone Shuffle  - Further On Up the Road

Done Somebody Wrong  - Got My Mojo Working

Last Night  - Maybellene  - Bright Lights, Big City

Honky Tonk  - Dust My Broom

Short Fat Fannie  - Come Back Baby


Cyndi Lauper.png

Released 10-24-2011

Track Listing:

Shattered Dreams  - Just Your Fool -  Early in the Mornin’

Romance in the Dark  - How Blue Can You Get

Down Don’t Bother Me  - Down So Long - Crossroads

I Will Follow  - Don’t Cry No More

She Bop  - Mother Earth

Change of Heart  - Girls Just Want to have Fun


Bjork.png

Released 1-20-2015

Track Listing:

Stonemilker  - Lionsong

History of Touches  - Black Lake

Family  - Notget  - Atom Dance

Mouth Mantra  - Quicksand


(00:00): #longintro/the spirit of Lee Ving asks a question/#chafecore

(02:18): Metal Nerdery remembers (?) Barry Manilow (!?!?) in his later years/WHAT’S THAT NOISE!?/Method of Destruction –  M.O.D. (The Hate Tank)

(03:50): Megaforce Records and the Thrash Movement/#enjoythetease

(06:36): 1982: John and Marsha Zazula and Metallica/Megaforce still putting out incredible thrash

(11:44): early acts: EXCITER! /(#makeitbigger) Raven, Mercyful Fate (and a tangentional round about)/Metallica Whiplash EP (and a Metal Nerdery Salute)/Camelot or Record Bar?

(15:42): Raven: the next big thing?/#schnick

(19:20): Mercyful Fate (Melissa): the story of the theft of “Melissa”/America’s answer to NWOBHM/The answer is (Dick Dastardly and) MUTTLEY

(22:40): The band that is Black Sabbath’s fault/#metalnerderymancloth/Manowar and furboots

(25:00): Anthrax (Soldiers of Metal/Howling Furies) Neil Turbin’s “metal” armwear

(27:11): Blue Cheer/(#birththroesofmetal/(and finally, a moment of true “backshadowing”)/ Overkill (Feel the Fire) “Hammerhead” /#thezazulasareablessing

(32:00): Stormtroopers of Death (S.O.D.) – Speak English or Die and the “Fun” factor of Metal (Pi Alpha Nu…MOSH!!!)/who’s McMahan? (And is he any relation to Bart?)

(35:35): Testament “The Legacy” (www.metalnerdery.com/podcast): check out MN episode #022 /#theageofdiscovery

(39:00): Frehley’s Comet (Ace Frehley and a “non-compete” clause!?)/Eddie Trunk’s involvement with Ace and Jonny Z/”Rock Soldiers”/#acesfishfaces

(45:10): Method of Destruction – M.O.D. (Bushwhackateas, The Ballad of Dio (Look out!), The Hate Tank)

(48:14): Kings X (also a power trio…blessed by the power of NOT Satan)/Dogman (Metal Nerdery recommends this album as a candidate for #cantbeloudenough)

(51:38): Vio-Lence “Oppressing the Masses” (WREKage Benefit)/Subterfuge

(54:21): Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers)/The label vs the style/Fozzy (shout out to Rich Ward- ATL!)/cover albums should contain deeper cuts/Stuck Mojo’s Gwinnett Place Mall In-store appearance (#LOUDASFUCK)

(58:52): Clutch “Live at the Googolplex” (Brazenhead, Pure Rock Fury)/#brazenbeard

(1:02:15): Ministry “Rio Grande Blood” (Assclown)/Living Colour (#asshell)/Hank III – double album; ½ heavy and ½ country. (#softintro) “It’s about to get loud, fast and heavy…”

(1:06:55): Johnny Winter and the spirit of Megaforce Records/Marsha Z just wants to have metal/the beautiful bizarreness of Bjork (Iceland…GOODNIGHT!)/Continue to spread the wordery about Metal Nerdery!

 

 

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